National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum of the Philippines or NM is a government agency museum that includes research and conservation programs within the museum and throughout the archipelago. Admission is free to all museums and facilities for both local and foreign visitors.

Today at our NM Western Visayas Regional Museum...A total of 257 Pre- and Elementary and SPED pupils&comma; together with 350 guardians and teachers of Madison Grade School in Passi City visited NationalMuseum Western Visayas today&period; &NewLine;&NewLine;The guests learned about the story of Iloilo Provincial Jail and then toured the Habol Panay gallery where they learned about Panay textile heritage&period; &NewLine;&NewLine;This is the first time a group of guests this big visited the museum&period; Thank you to school officials who included the &num;nationalmuseumph in their itinerary&period; We are looking forward to receiving bigger number of guests especially when we open at least two more galleries soon&period; &NewLine;&NewLine;Entrance is FREE&period; But for group tours &lpar;more than 20 persons&rpar;&comma; booking&sol;reservation is required at least 3 days before your tour date&period; &NewLine;&NewLine;&num;iloilocitymuseum&NewLine;&num;nationalmuseumph&NewLine;&num;nationalmuseumwv ... See MoreSee Less

Happening Now: Associate Prof. Dr. Jim Kimura of Tokai University talks about his work with the National Museum’s Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division on finding the galleon San Francisco... ... See MoreSee Less

The National Museum opens two new exhibitions to celebrate #NationalArtsMonth2019atNM

Gifts to the Nation and the new Philippine Modern Sculpture Gallery open to the public today as a highlight of the National Arts Month 2019 celebration. These are located at Galleries 27 and 28, and Gallery 29, respectively, of the National Museum of Fine Arts at the Old Legislative Building.

In Gifts to the Nation 105 selected objects are presently being featured, comprising 50 artworks, 53 ethnographic objects, a heritage piano from Tacloban, Leyte, on which Irving Berlin composed "Heaven Watch the Philippines", and a religious "Calvario" tableau among many other recent donations and loans. It also includes memorabilia and ephemera from the 1946 inauguration of President Manuel Roxas and Vice President Elpidio Quirino and the proclamation of Philippine independence from the United States of America. This exhibition is our way of showing deep appreciation to those who have supported the NM and acknowledging the importance of sharing these gifts so as to enrich further the national collections for all to enjoy.

Works of art which include watercolors, prints and “paintographs” – the result of interaction between photographers and painters – were donated or loaned to the National Museum by artists, families and individuals who are helping us fill gaps in our collection. Some of the outstanding works featured in the exhibition are by National Artists Hernando Ocampo, Jose Joya and J. Elizalde Navarro, and the significant loaned artworks include Barrio de San Nicolas - Calle de Ylang Ylang by Jose Honorato Lozano, Portrait of Dr. Jose Rizal by Fabian de la Rosa, and Portrait of Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez by Fernando Amorsolo.

Noted women artists are represented among the donations, including Araceli Limcaco Dans, Lydia Arguilla, and Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi, as we seek to priorotize bringing more such works into the National Fine Arts Collection.

Moreover, there are also quite a number of ethnographic materials donated recently to the National Ethnographic Collection. Some of these and their eminent donors are a manton de Manila (shawl) from Mara Pardo de Tavera, Hanunoo buri basket from Dutch anthropologist Antoon Postma, baskets, wooden basins, and brass objects from over a hundred items from the Ermelo Mendoza Almeda Collection, Southern Palawan tops and mats from Emil Marañon, the Pala’wan kusyapi/kudlung (boat lute), pagang (zither) from archaeologist Hermine Xhauflair, a pair of Bulul sculptures from Betty Ildefonso-Chalkley and Maranao lakub (tobacco containers) that were gifted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, among others.

There are also several gifts to the nation featured in the new Philippine Modern Sculpture exhibition. These include a large brass sculpture given by the family of National Artist Abdulmari Imao, several maquettes from National Artist Arturo Luz through Sergio Ortiga and a carved wooden figure from Duddley Diaz through Silvana Diaz. Viewers are encouraged to see them and numerous other works of our modern masters including Lamberto Hechanova, Renato Rocha, Ramon Orlina and many others. It took over a year to develop this exhibition after the renovation of the large hall, now Gallery 29, in which they are now permanently displayed.

According to Luli Arroyo Bernas, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the NM:

“In recent years there have been many positive developments here at the National Museum, grounded on the very strong support that this institution is receiving from past and present administrations, and with both the public and private sectors making an increasingly visible and renewed effort to work effectively and with a clear direction and goals to ensure that the National Museum achieves its potential as a cultural, educational and scientific institution; and be a world-class museum that we as Filipinos can all be immensely proud of as doing full justice to our heritage of arts, culture and natural environment.

"One major development has been the increasing number of public and private institutions, as well as families and individuals who, to ensure their protection, preservation and exhibition to the widest audience, are entrusting noteworthy and valuable works of art and even entire collections to the National Museum in all areas of its wide mandate.

"These loans and donations will allow us to not only effectively promote works and legacies within the larger context of Philippine heritage and patrimony, but our benefactors’ generosity might hopefully inspire and be emulated by many other Filipinos who are in a position to support this mission."

For more information, please contact the Museum Services Division at services.nationalmuseumph@gmail.com or (02) 527 0278.

Thanks to our friends from Philippine Star who were there with us as we opened our doors to the public...LOOK&colon; In celebration of World Whale Day&comma; the National Museum unveils to the public the &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Marinduque Sperm Whale ” skeleton&comma; a 43&period;5 feet long sperm whale &lpar;Physeter macrocephalus&rpar; suspended from the ceiling of the National Museum of Natural History in Rizal Park&comma; Manila&period;&NewLine;&NewLine;World Whale Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness of these majestic creatures and their plight&period; ... See MoreSee Less